The following invention relates to beverage brewing devices such as espresso machines which include boilers therein for delivering heated water to a brewing chamber and which discharge a brewed beverage. More specifically, this invention relates to attachments to espresso machines and modifications to espresso machines which allow the espresso machine to more effectively perform a greater number of brewed beverage preparation tasks including the brewing of tea.
Espresso machines are a familiar sight in restaurants and coffee houses throughout the world. While espresso machines come in a variety of different configurations, the basic characteristics and functions of the espresso machine are consistent. The basic espresso machine includes a boiler which can boil water and discharge water for use in brewing a beverage. The espresso machine includes a water exit which is typically called a group head. The group head is configured so that a porta-filter can be securely attached in a sealing manner over the exit. The porta-filter includes a brewing chamber therein which is removable from the espresso machine along with the porta-filter. A brewable substance, most commonly very finely ground espresso beans, is placed within the brewing chamber of the porta-filter and the porta-filter is connected to the group head. The espresso machine is then activated, causing heated water just slightly below boiling temperature to be drawn through the ground espresso beans within the brewing chamber. An outlet from the porta-filter extends down beneath the porta-filter and the espresso beverage is collected within a small pitcher, called a demutante, which rests upon a drain tray of the espresso machine which extends away from a front of the espresso machine and beneath the group head. The espresso is most commonly diluted with various other beverage components to create a variety of different beverages.
While the basic espresso machine and porta-filter configuration is effective for brewing espresso, it suffers from numerous drawbacks. Specifically, the espresso machine cannot be utilized in its known prior art configurations to effectively brew tea, herbs, spices and coffee from ground coffee beans. When espresso beans are finely ground and used within known prior art espresso machines, the finely ground espresso beans are compressed within the brewing chamber. By compressing the espresso grounds, the espresso grounds initially block holes which provide an exit from the brewing chamber. When the espresso machine is activated to direct heated water into the brewing chamber, the heated water cannot initially pass through the outlet holes. Hence, pressure builds up and the water is rapidly infused by the espresso grounds in this high temperature, high pressure environment. Once the heated water has soaked through the compressed espresso grounds and reached the outlet holes, it has been fully brewed into espresso and is ready for discharge out of the outlet of the porta-filter.
In contrast to this espresso brewing process, tea is formed from tea leaves and herbs and spices are similarly formed from various different structures such as tree bark, flower petals, leaves and other natural structures distinct from a ground up bean. These structures are damaged and less effectively infuse dissolved flavor particles into heated water when they are highly compressed. Similarly, coffee beans are most effectively infused into heated water when the coffee bean grounds are not compressed. Additionally, tea leaves, herbs, spices and coffee grounds are most effectively infused into heated water when they are provided with residence time of a sufficient amount adjacent the heated water to fully extract the desirable flavor components from the brewable substance. Hence, utilization of such non-compressed brewable substances within an espresso machine does not effectively occur. Should brewable substances, such as tea leaves, be placed within the brewing chamber of a known prior art espresso machine, the heated water would pass through the brewing chamber too quickly and result in only partial extraction of tea flavor components from the tea leaves and only partial infusion of the heated water with the desired flavor components, when compared to known prior art tea brewing processes. Hence, a need exists for an espresso machine and attachments to an espresso machine which allow the espresso machine to brew a beverage which is brewed from a brewable substance which does not need to be compressed within a brewing chamber and which allows the brewing process to occur in a slower more controlled manner for proper residence time to complete the brewing process.
Additionally, because espresso machines are particularly configured to brew espresso and deliver the espresso into a demutante resting on the drain tray, only a very small space is provided between the drain tray and the porta-filter when the porta-filter is attached to the group head and in use along with the espresso machine. Delivery of the espresso into a demutante on the drain tray adds additional complexity to any overall drink preparation process in that the espresso or other beverage collected in the demutante on the drain tray must later be transferred into the beverage container, such as a glass, for serving to the customer. While devices are known to provide a limited amount of deflection of a beverage laterally after the beverage is discharged from the brewing chamber in the porta-filter, such known prior art deflection systems are inadequate to provide an operator of the espresso machine with maximum efficiency in preparation of drinks utilizing the espresso machine.
Often drinks made utilizing an espresso machine have at least two distinct components. For instance, espresso can be mixed with steamed milk to produce a xe2x80x9clattxc3xa9.xe2x80x9d It is often desirable to layer such drinks by placing a deflection surface such as a spoon, adjacent a top surface of a first ingredient of the beverage and then direct the second ingredient of the beverage onto the top surface of the spoon so that it pools in a distinct layer on top of the layer composed by the first ingredient of the beverage.
Prior art devices for effectively layering a drink, such as a spoon or other specific layering tool, do not work directly with the espresso machine. Rather, they require that multiple different tools be used separately in multiple stages before the final beverage is ready to be served to the customer. These individual devices must then be provided with a place for storage, further hampering the overall operation of the espresso machine and the delivery of beverages to the customer. Accordingly, a need exists for an attachment to an espresso machine which allows a layered beverage to be produced in a single step without requiring additional layering tools in addition to the espresso machine and porta-filter combination.
A prior art espresso machine and related attachments are modified by this invention to allow the espresso machine to be utilized in brewing non-espresso beverages such as tea, herbs, spices and coffee. The espresso machine includes a boiler for producing heated water and delivers heated water to a group head. The group head extends down from an overhang of the espresso machine and overlies a drain tray. The group head is configured so that a porta-filter can be attached to the group head and heated water from the boiler can pass through the group head and exit into the porta-filter. The porta-filter includes a brewing chamber therein which supports a brewable substance such as tea leaves, herbs, spices and coffee grounds. A drain in the porta-filter directs the brewed beverage out of the brewing chamber for release from the porta-filter and collection in a beverage container.
For brewing tea and the like, the brewing chamber is loaded with tea leaves, or tea within a tea bag or other infusion container, and the porta-filter is attached to the group head of the espresso machine. Heated water from the boiler of the espresso machine is then directed into the brewing chamber and brought into contact with the tea leaves for infusion of tea into the heated water.
Before the water is released from the porta-filter and passes into the beverage container, a water outflow restriction device must be passed by the water, which is now in the form of a beverage such as tea. This outflow restriction device restricts the beverage to a flow rate which is less than an inflow rate of heated water from the boiler into the brewing chamber. Hence, the water flowing through the brewing chamber backs up behind the outflow restriction device and residence time for the heated water adjacent the tea leaves is increased. The amount of residence time that the water experiences adjacent the tea leaves within the brewing chamber depends upon the difference between the flow rate through the outflow restriction device and the flow rate leaving the boiler of the espresso machine and passing into the brewing chamber.
In addition to enhanced residence time caused by the beverage outflow restriction device, the porta-filter is configured to sealingly attach to the group head in a manner which allows the brewing chamber to be maintained at a pressure which is elevated with respect to atmospheric pressure surrounding the espresso machine. At elevated pressure, infusion of tea into the heated water is increased. Also, turbulence can be generated within the brewing chamber by manipulation of flow rates through the outflow restriction device and inflow into the brewing chamber from the espresso machine. Turbulence can also be generated by optional inclusion of a restriction plate between the brewing chamber and the group head to add velocity to heated water entering the brewing chamber. Such turbulence further enhances the rate of infusion of dissolved tea flavor particles into the heated water for preparation of the beverage.
As tea and related beverages are often brewed at an initial drinking consistency and do not require later dilution or other modification, it is desirable that the beverage, after having been brewed within the brewing chamber, be passed directly into a beverage container for serving to a customer. With the presence of the drain tray on the espresso machine and the overhang above the drain tray, an outlet tube is beneficially provided which couples to the drain in the brewing chamber and extends laterally away from the the drain tray. The outlet tube can be positioned overlying a beverage container resting upon a counter upon which the espresso machine rests.
The outlet tube preferably is not affixed to the porta-filter in an immobile manner. Rather, the outlet tube is connected by a ball joint to a discharge of the porta-filter which allows the outlet tube to pivot both vertically and horizontally to a variety of different positions overlying the counter upon which the espresso machine rests and away from the drain tray. Additionally, the outlet tube can be formed from a semi-flexible tubular material which allows a lower end of the outlet tube to be located in a variety of different positions relative to the porta-filter. The outflow restriction device, which beneficially enhances residence time of heated water adjacent the brewable substance such as tea, is preferably in the form of a manually adjustable valve located adjacent the lower end of the outlet tube.
When a user of the espresso machine, as modified by this invention, wishes to create a layered drink of two distinct substances, a layering tool is attached to the outlet tube adjacent the lower end. The layering tool includes a concave spoon attachment which lies beneath the lower end. The outlet tube and concave spoon attachment can be located within a beverage container with the spoon at the approximate level of the first layer of the beverage. The second layer of the beverage is then passed through the outlet tube and impacts the spoon attachment where it is deflected horizontally and forms a distinct second layer resting upon the first layer of the beverage. The spoon attachment of the layering tool can be pivoted away from the lower end of the outlet tube when it is not in use and to assist in removal of the layering tool from the beverage container after the layered beverage has been created.
Accordingly, a primary object of the present invention is to provide a method for brewing tea with heated water originally provided by a boiler of an espresso machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for use with an espresso machine to allow tea to be brewed with an espresso machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a method and apparatus for brewing beverages from herbs and spices using an espresso machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide modifications to an espresso machine and components used with the espresso machine which allows coffee to be brewed with the espresso machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a device which can brew tea from loose tea leaves without requiring that the tea leaves be enclosed within an infusion ball, tea bag or other enclosure.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an espresso machine which can brew other beverages, besides espresso from finely ground espresso beans, to enhance the usefulness of the espresso machine in restaurants and coffee shops.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment to an espresso machine which allows a beverage brewed with heated water from the espresso machine to be passed directly into a beverage container for serving to a customer.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment to an espresso machine which allows a beverage to be discharged from the espresso machine at a variety of different locations spaced from a drain tray of the espresso machine.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an espresso machine which includes a layering tool thereon to assist in the manufacture of layered drinks.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an attachment to an espresso machine in which beverages can be brewed which require that heated water be given residence time adjacent a non-compacted brewable substance with residence time adjacent the brewable substance controlled by an adjustable valve such that beverages having different concentrations can be manufactured by a user of the espresso machine be adjustment of the valve.
Another object of the present invention is to provide an aeration nozzle for an outlet of an espresso machine to aerate beverages brewed by the espresso machine, such that a beverage with a unique appearance and taste can be created.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a porta-filter which can support tea leaves therein for brewing of the tea leaves and which can attach to an espresso machine with the porta-filter allowing sufficient residence time therein for infusion of heated water from the espresso machine with tea, to produce a tea beverage discharged from the porta-filter.
Other further objects of the present invention will become apparent from a careful reading of the included drawing figures, the claims and detailed description of the invention.